Elmira and Binghamton are on different ends of the economic spectrum from its neighbor Ithaca, based on a recent list of communities that have added and lost the most jobs in the past year.

While Ithaca is included as one of 25 communities in the nation adding the most jobs, Elmira and Binghamton are among those cities showing the worst performance.

But the picture may not be as bright as portrayed for Ithaca, or as bleak for Binghamton and Elmira, according to the man responsible for monitoring those numbers at the local level.

"We do have some suspicious statistics here," said Christian Harris, labor analyst for the New York State Department of Labor. He said smaller communities with limited sample sizes tend to have higher statistical anomalies than their larger brethren.

On a list of communities with the United States with the worst job losses in the past year, Binghamton was listed 14th.(Photo: File Photo)

Since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics assumed oversight of the monthly employment numbers five years ago, Harris has noted that "there have been issues with smaller metro areas that show significant seasonal jumps."

Nevertheless, it is evident that among regions in central New York, Ithaca is the standout, adding jobs at a rapid clip, while areas such as Binghamton, Elmira and Syracuse badly lag the balance of the state and the nation in the recovery since the 2008 recession.

Website 24/7 Wall St. posted a list Thursday of the best and worst cities for job growth, based on bureau data from October 2015 to October 2016. Ithaca is listed as the 25th-best community in the nation, with employment growth of about 4 percent, which translates into the addition of nearly 2,300 jobs over the year.

In a list of communities with the most jobs added in the past year, Ithaca was listed in the 25th spot.(Photo: FILE PHOTO)

Meanwhile, Elmira placed 23rd on the list of the 25 communities with the largest job losses, with a decline of about 2 percent, or 500 jobs over the period. Binghamton was at 14th, with a 2 percent job decline, or 2,000 jobs.

"My sense is that these numbers will be revised," Harris said, adding that he has noted some reporting errors in Elmira in recent months.

No question, Binghamton and Elmira economies are laggards, suffering from a decline in the manufacturing sector, which fueled their respective economies for decades. Ithaca, meanwhile, is benefiting from growth in the educational sector, namely Ithaca College and Cornell University, and the ripple impact from those institutions.

After revisions, losses will still be dramatic in Elmira and Binghamton, Harris said, but not to the scale portrayed in Thursday's list. And Ithaca's growth will be scaled down too, he said.